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TJS · Post by **TJS** » Wed 19 Sep, 2007 22:44

The black plastic fan shroud and air intake tube on my car has a very scabby appearence due to a lacquer or coating beginning to peel off. I am not sure if if the coating was applied by the factory or subsequently.

I have tried white spirit to remove the coating but is a very slow process. Any tips or suggestions ?

TJS

TJS · Post by **TJS** » Wed 19 Sep, 2007 22:46

A picture may help.

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mich · Post by **mich** » Thu 20 Sep, 2007 03:33

Once the damage is done I recon you may be too late

I'm not sure that white spirits is a good idea for plastic, but then I have never tried it.

to protect my plastic bits I use Armourguard which keeps things looking like new. Door panels,Dash, Door handles etc, hopefully your problem won't arise.

hydanz3 · Post by **hydanz3** » Thu 20 Sep, 2007 07:17

Use plastic window cleaner,Renovo this will not damage the surface

Charles_42 · Post by **Charles_42** » Thu 20 Sep, 2007 11:45

TJS wrote:The black plastic fan shroud and air intake tube on my car has a very scabby appearence due to a lacquer or coating beginning to peel off. I am not sure if if the coating was applied by the factory or subsequently.

I have tried white spirit to remove the coating but is a very slow process. Any tips or suggestions ?

TJS

You could:
1. Replace the entire air intake tube including the casing or shroud with new material

too costly ... ?
2. Treat the plastic stuff with cheap vulgar lamp petroleum (do you perhaps call it "kerosine" in the UK ?)...

As any plastic this item is a petroleum product that when getting older degenerates, you can bring in 'fresh' petroleum to feed it and to keep the surface "new". Works well also on rubber (there is no real rubber anymore !) tyres and sealings.

I use this "lamp petroleum" to wash my car(s), pouring some 10 cc into the water without any other detergent or cleaning agent. Moving the sponge through the bucket I mix (petrol is lighter than water) the stuff with the water sucking up the mixture into the sponge and wash the car pushing out slowly the water/petroleum mixture when cleaning the surface. It dissolves asphalt and tar while feeding the lacquer. You see the difference when sprinkling with water afterwards. Water evaporates rather quickly, lamp petroleum not or less, so it survives hidden behind chromed ornaments where it preventively protects against rust.

andyhallas · Post by **andyhallas** » Thu 20 Sep, 2007 11:53

TJS

My Car has a slightly similar issue in that it looks like a lacquer is peeling off.

I believe it is caused in my case because a previous owner had the engine bay winter sealed.

Have to admit it doesn't bother me too much so I haven't tried treating it with anything.

Charles_42 idea of using kerosine (possibly even a bit of standard petrol) could work well.

sfh3l · Post by **sfh3l** » Sat 22 Sep, 2007 08:58

Me too.
My solution was to help it off with my thumbnail and then just treat the plastic with one of the many products to bring it "back to black". I didn't do it all though as my nail wore out! Plastic scourer pad (for dishes) might do the trick just as well though, when used with a little detergent and plenty of water. I believe that it is only the gunk that BMW applied to the engine bay once it was all together that does this. I have the same stufff on my (remaining) original hoses and also on the rocker cover and plenum. I don't know why they did it really. It must have looked untidy whe new, and just gets gradually more tatty looking over time.

TJS · Post by **TJS** » Sun 30 Sep, 2007 17:35

Thanks for the feedback.

A plastic washing up sponge and scourer with WD40 seems to do the trick, but its a slow job. It would be easier, quicker and better for my back to dismantle the fan shroud and hoses and clean them on a workbench.

TJS

Bad-Yeti · Post by **Bad-Yeti** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 00:34

Damn I feel ashamed at how clean your engine bay is

I need to go and have a whipping

I have an excuse though....I think.

Bad-Yeti · Post by **Bad-Yeti** » Sat 15 Mar, 2008 21:14

Bad-Yeti wrote:Damn I feel ashamed at how clean your engine bay is

I need to go and have a whipping

I have an excuse though....I think.

I was just thinking the same thing

I'm about to rip out the whole shroud and the fan and replace them with electic fans, does this sound daft?

By the way it seems that if I click "Quote" I get a whole post just with the quoted post on

Jet · Post by **Jet** » Sat 15 Mar, 2008 22:55

Electric fans are a good idea, one less thing for the engine to manage.

zroadster.net

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